Opening the parcel

Text: an original contemporary personal account-style practice extract.

When a parcel arrived with a dent in one corner, I photographed the closed box before opening it. Inside, the lamp’s shade had a crack near the rim, but the base appeared undamaged. I kept the packaging while contacting the seller because its condition might help explain the damage. The instructions had been packed beneath the base, and I nearly threw them away with the cardboard. The photograph showed the dent clearly, although it could not tell me when the box had been crushed.

From the extract, identify one thing the writer did before opening the parcel.